The present invention relates to devices for dispensing two different fluid substances, such as two different hair dye components, from separate containers in which they are contained, so that the contents of the two containers are simultaneously dispensed. The present invention further relates to such devices that also mix the contents of the containers as they are being dispensed.
Numerous devices are known that enable the fluid contents of two separate containers to be dispensed simultaneously and mixed as they are dispensed. For instance, French patent application No. FR-A-2 732 245 describes a dispenser unit comprising a housing and a pushbutton that is depressed to cause the contents of two separate containers to be dispensed. Each container includes a valve that has a hollow stem that is depressed by the pushbutton so as to open the valve and cause the container contents to be dispensed through the stem.
A difficulty with certain known dispenser units is that, because of relatively loose manufacturing tolerances for the containers, the stems may have top ends that are not situated at exactly the same height. This can result in the contents of the two containers not being dispensed simultaneously because the shorter stem may not be sufficiently depressed to open its valve.
There also exists a need for a dispenser unit that is easily modified so that a large number of its component parts can be commonly used with various containers holding different types of contents, thus making it possible to benefit from economies of scale in the manufacture of dispensers.
Other dispenser units have also been proposed, but they are not entirely satisfactory for various reasons. By way of example, mention can be made of U.S. Pat. No. 3,236,457; German patent application DE 100 09 233 A1; European patent application Nos. EP-A-0 313 414; EP-A-0 427 609; and EP-A 0 243 667; British patent No. GB 1 163 978; and French patent application Nos. FR-A-2 598 392 and FR-A-1 413 164.
The present invention addresses the above-noted needs and achieves other advantages, by providing a dispenser unit that comprises a housing structured and arranged to receive a pair of containers, an actuator such as a lever or pushbutton movably connected to the housing, and a fluid-conducting member mounted inside the housing and formed separately from and non-rigidly connected to the actuator. The containers can be pressurized and provided with valves that are opened by actuating hollow stems through which the container contents are dispensed, or unpressurized and provided with pumps that are operated by depressing the stems. The housing receives the ends of the containers from which the hollow stems project. The fluid-conducting member has two portions that receive the stems of the containers. When the stems are actuated, the contents in the containers are simultaneously dispensed into at least one passage formed in the fluid-conducting member. The actuator is structured and arranged so that driving it toward a dispensing position causes the fluid-conducting member to actuate the stems to initiate simultaneous dispensing of the container contents. The actuator includes an internal channel through which the container contents flow when being dispensed.
The invention enables satisfactory operation to be achieved in spite of any difference in height between the top ends of the two container stems.
In addition, the way in which the container contents are delivered to the actuator, i.e., whether they are delivered in a mixed state or separately, is easily modified merely by changing the structure of the fluid-conducting member. When the container contents must be mixed together before being dispensed, the actuator can include a flow deflector to promote mixing of the contents so that the mixture is more homogeneous.
In a preferred embodiment, the actuator is formed as a lever pivotally connected to the housing of the unit. Alternatively, the actuator can be a pushbutton that translates in the housing when depressed.
The fluid-conducting member advantageously includes an outlet duct through which the container contents exit in the mixed or separate state, and the actuator advantageously includes a bell-mouth or socket suitable for receiving the outlet duct. The outlet duct and bell-mouth advantageously form a loose connection that is not leakproof when the actuator is not depressed. The connection becomes fluid tight only when the actuator is depressed, thus making it possible to reduce the risks of jamming and of unintended operation.
The outlet duct preferably can be received in the bell-mouth of the actuator so that the fluid-conducting member can pivot about at least one axis relative to the actuator, and preferably about two perpendicular axes, without destroying the fluid-tight connection between the fluid-conducting member and actuator during dispensing of the container contents. Such an arrangement makes it possible to use relatively large manufacturing tolerances for the top ends of the stems.
In a particular embodiment, the housing of the dispenser unit includes internal tabs suitable for snap-fastening on collars formed on the containers.
In a particular embodiment, the actuator is snap-fastened on the housing. More particularly, the dispenser unit can include a slot and the actuator can have a catch at one end suitable for snap-fastening in the slot. The slot is advantageously located close to a wall of the housing against which the actuator abuts when moved in a direction opposite to the direction causing dispensing to take place, such that the actuator is prevented from moving farther in the opposite direction. This arrangement prevents the user from lifting the actuator far enough to gain access to the fluid-conducting member.
When the actuator is pivotally mounted, it is advantageously generally xcex93-shaped when viewed in the direction of the pivot axis.
The actuator can be rigid. Preferably, the actuator can have at least one stiffening rib on an inner side, in which case the housing of the dispenser unit can include a recess enabling the stiffening rib to be received when the actuator is moved towards its dispensing position.
The actuator can include a fixing element for receiving a fitted dispenser endpiece. The dispenser endpiece can be fixed on the actuator by screw engagement. In another embodiment, the dispenser endpiece can be fixed on the actuator by snap-fastening, leaving it free to rotate about an axis.
The dispenser endpiece can be straight or bent, depending on whether dispensing is performed with the unit head-down or head-up. The free end of the dispenser endpiece can be chamfered or tapered, to enable it to penetrate more easily into the hair and part the hair.
In a particular embodiment, the fluid-conducting member includes an elongate tubular portion at least one end of which is closed by a nozzle piece whose outlet orifice is closed. The use of a nozzle piece for closing the elongate tubular portion makes it possible to take advantage of the wide availability of low-cost nozzle pieces, thus making it possible to avoid manufacturing a special plug. In a preferred embodiment, the fluid-conducting member has at least one longitudinal stiffening rib formed on the elongate tubular portion.
The dispenser unit can have at least one locking element that is movable between a locking position and a dispensing position, and serving, when in the locking position, to prevent the actuator from moving far enough to cause dispensing to take place. Such a locking element serves to avoid any risk of the container contents being dispensed accidentally while the dispenser is being transported.
In a particular embodiment, the locking element can turn relative to the actuator, being secured to or formed on the dispenser endpiece and being suitable for bearing against the housing of the dispenser unit when in the locking position.
The housing of the dispenser unit can have closure elements fitted to its top portion after the fluid-conducting member has been inserted into the housing to keep the fluid-conducting member inside.
In a particular embodiment, the housing of the dispenser unit has a pair of spaced-apart receiver tubes into which the ends of the containers are inserted to place the stems of the containers in their proper positions with respect to the fluid-conducting member. The upper ends of the tubular walls of the receiver tubes have respective notches in which the fluid-conducting member is received.
Advantageously, the fluid-conducting member has at least one rib that fits into the space between the two receiver tubes and serves to center the fluid-conducting member inside the housing of the dispenser unit.
The fluid-conducting member can be retained with perceptible slack inside the housing of the dispenser unit whenever the actuator is not depressed and the dispenser unit is waiting to be mounted on the containers.
The fluid-conducting member can be arranged to channel the container contents separately up to the actuator. The actuator can then be arranged to channel the container contents separately as far as the dispenser endpiece, or alternatively the actuator can mix the container contents.
In a further alternative embodiment, the fluid-conducting member can be arranged to mix the container contents before they reach the actuator.
The dispenser endpiece can include a mixer element for encouraging the components to mix together. Such a mixer element can be arranged to force the components to move in a direction that is not purely axial, for example to move along a path that includes one or more generally helical portions.
The mixer element can comprise a succession of identical portions through which the container contents pass in succession. The mixer element can be made separately from the dispenser endpiece and inserted into the passage of the endpiece, being retained between a shoulder inside the endpiece and the portion of the actuator on which the endpiece is mounted.
When the actuator is not moved far enough by the user, there is a risk of only one of the container valves being actuated. To reduce this risk, the dispenser unit can be arranged in such a manner that moving the actuator beyond a predetermined stroke generates an audible click that can be perceived by the user. Thus, the user knows that the actuator has been actuated far enough once the click is heard.
In a particular embodiment, the dispenser unit has at least one elastically deformable tab that is deformed in one direction while the actuator is being moved up to a certain threshold from an initial, rest position and that springs back in the opposite direction and thereby emits an audible click when the actuator is moved beyond the threshold. Such a tab can be made integrally with the housing of the dispenser unit, for example. In a particular embodiment, the housing of the dispenser unit has two click-generating tabs suitable for being deformed by the actuator.
The tab(s) can be connected to a generally plane portion of the wall of the housing and can be disposed in such a manner as to be deformed away from the plane of this wall portion when the actuator is moved. Each tab can have a width that decreases towards its free end.
In a particular embodiment, two tabs are provided on the housing of the dispenser unit to produce an audible click during displacement of the actuator, the actuator having two ribs for bearing against the tabs. The ribs can be useful for stiffening the actuator, in particular when it is generally xcex93-shaped when viewed in profile.
The invention also provides a dispenser assembly comprising a dispenser unit as defined above together with two containers on which the dispenser unit is fixed.
By way of example, the containers can contain fluids that are liquid or semiliquid for mixing together on an as-needed basis. The containers can be pressurized and provided with valves, and each container can have a stem presenting a top end whose axial position is known within a tolerance greater than or equal to 0.2 mm, or even greater than or equal to 0.3 mm.